Question and Answer with The National Asian Pacific Center On Aging

By the NAPCA Staff

National Asian Pacific Center On Aging (NAPCA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander older adults and their families.

Available in five different languages, we operate the NAPCA Senior Assistance Center for Older Adults and Caregivers.

In this article, we share some of the important questions we received from our readers. We aim to educate and guide you in your journey into older adulthood.

Question: My husband is turning 65 soon and he is still working. He and I are covered by his employer’s medical insurance. He does not have 40 working quarter credits yet. Do we still need to join Medicare?

Answer: Most people sign up for both Medicare Part A and Part B when they turn 65. However, if they do not have more than 40 working credits that allow them to get premium-free Part A, they must pay $278 (30-39 credits) or $506 (less than 30 credits) per month.

If your husband’s employer has more than 20 employees and employer-sponsored insurance is “creditable”, he may delay signing up for Medicare until he stops working or loses the current employer coverage whichever comes first. He will not pay a penalty for delaying enrollment.

Whether delaying Medicare or enrolling in Medicare, he should check his coverage policy with his employer before making his decision.

Q: What happens if I work